The Meeting of Jacob and Rebecca, and Isaac Blessing Jacob from The Story of Jacob
1560/68
Medium
Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave Warp: Count: 5 warps per cm; wool: S-ply of three Z-spun elements; diameter: 1.2 mm Weft: Count: varies from 20 to 34 wefts per cm; wool: S-ply of two Z-spun elements; diameters; 0,4–1.2 mm; silk: S-ply of two Z-twisted elements; diameters: 0.5–1.5 mm
Dimensions
267.7 × 260.4 cm (105 3/8 × 102 1/2 in.)
Classification
weaving - tapestry
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79796
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In the foreground of this tapestry based on the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, Rebecca advises her favorite son Jacob, clad in a star-adorned cloak, how to steal the birthright that belongs to his twin brother, Esau. The two young goats standing in the foreground were requested by Rebecca so she might cook a meal for Jacob to offer Isaac in exchange for the birthright. The scene in the right background shows the blind Isaac lying in bed and blessing the kneeling Jacob, having mistaken him for...